Visiting Saint. Peter’s Basilica:One of the holiest sites of Christianity & Catholic traditions considered as the largest Church in the world & burial site of Saint Peter,Chief of Jesus’s apostles & the first Bishop of Rome.

On 8/9/22(third day of our Rome visit), We got an opportunity to see the mesmerizing Renaissance style Church-St. Peter’s Basilica ,Vatican city designed principally by Donato Bramante, Michelangelo, Carlo Maderno and Gian Lorenzo Bernini.We were all awe-struck at the grandeur of the historical place that needs to be seen to be believed !The breathtaking sculptures are fantastic.Here I am sharing with my valued readers the brief history of the Church.

SAINT PETER’S BASILICA :

The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican, or simply Saint Peter’s Basilica, is a church built in the Renaissance style located in Vatican City, the papal enclave that is within the city of Rome, Italy. It was initially planned by Pope Nicholas V and then Pope Julius II to replace the aging Old St. Peter’s Basilica, which was built in the fourth century by Roman emperor Constantine the Great.Old St. Peter’s Basilica was the building that stood, from the 4th to 16th centuries, where the new St. Peter’s Basilica stands today in Vatican City. Construction of the basilica, built over the historical site of the Circus of Nero, began during the reign of Emperor Constantine I. The name “old St. Peter’s Basilica” has been used since the construction of the current basilica to distinguish the two buildings. Construction of the present basilica began on 18 April 1506 and was completed on 18 November 1626. Designed principally by Donato Bramante, Michelangelo, Carlo Maderno and Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

St.Peter’s Basilica is one of the holiest sites of Christianity and Catholic Tradition.It is the most renowned work of Renaissance architecture and the largest church in the world by interior measure. While it is neither the mother church of the Catholic Church nor the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome, St. Peter’s is regarded as one of the holiest Catholic shrines.It has been described as “holding a unique position in the Christian world” and as “the greatest of all churches of Christendom.” Catholic tradition holds that the basilica is the burial site of Saint Peter, chief among Jesus’s apostles and also the first Bishop of Rome.

Saint Peter’s tomb is supposedly directly below the high altar of the basilica, also known as the Altar of the Confession. For this reason, many popes have been interred at St. Peter’s since the Early Christian period. St. Peter’s is famous as a place of pilgrimage and for its liturgical functions. The pope presides at a number of liturgies throughout the year both within the basilica or the adjoining St. Peter’s Square; these liturgies draw audiences numbering from 15,000 to over 80,000 people.St. Peter’s has many historical associations, with the Early Christian Church, the Papacy, the Protestant Reformation and Catholic Counter-reformation and numerous artists, especially Michelangelo. As a work of architecture, it is regarded as the greatest building of its age.St. Peter’s is one of the four churches in the world that hold the rank of Major papal basilica, all four of which are in Rome, and is also one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome. Contrary to popular misconception, it is not a cathedral because it is not the seat of a bishop; the cathedra of the pope as bishop of Rome is at Saint John Lateran.

The Holy See ( Italian: Santa Sede)also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolicepiscopal see of the Diocese of Rome, which has ecclesiastical jurisdiction over the Catholic Church & the sovereign city-state known as Vatican City.The Holy See is the universal government of the Catholic Church and operates from Vatican City State, a sovereign, independent territory. The Pope is the ruler of both Vatican City State and the Holy See.

My dear readers may kindly point out any incorrect information in my above writeup needing any corrections! I am truly indebted to Wikipedia & for the invaluable information on the subject !Happy Reading !